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Ninth Legion can chalk up a hat-trick of wins when contesting Saturday’s Listed Winter Stakes at Rosehill.
The six-year-old has recaptured his zest for racing during his past two outings, winning the Eye Liner Stakes over 1350m at Ipswich before beating a number of the same rivals he faces here in the Civic Stakes.
Under the care of Peter Robl this campaign, Ninth Legion’s former jockey has instructed the gelding be ridden positively during his past two starts.
The instructions have been well executed by Damian Browne and Sam Clipperton with the son of Fastnet Rock recording a Timeform rating of 116 last start in the Civic Stakes.
In taking out the Civic Stakes, Ninth Legion accounted for five of the same rivals he lines up against here and only meets them on marginally worse weight terms.
It could be a case of history repeating on Saturday with Clipperton again expected to have the gelding prominent, likely outside of Oxford Poet who will work up and find the front from an inside draw.
Clearly the class horse of the race, he can again prevail on Saturday in the Winter Stakes (1400m).
Flashing out of the pack late in the Civic Stakes was the Michelle Ritchie-trained Better Not Blue.
The son of Churchill Downs settled worse than midfield on that occasion and caught the eye behind Ninth Legion.
His effort returned a Timeform rating of 104?.
It was clearly a career best display and now meets Ninth Legion 1kg better at the weights for only a slender defeat.
Better Not Blue faced Ninth Legion on a Soft 5 last start however will likely meet him on a softer track which could swing things marginally in his favour.
His last start rating of 104? is something of a query as is his ability to run out a strong 1400m looking at his record.
Snippets Land ran fourth in the Civic Stakes.
Settled midfield, the gelding stuck to his task well and wasn’t beaten far, only 1.3 lengths.
He gets a 1.5kg weight swing off the winner Ninth Legion and prior form through the Queensland Winter Carnival reads well in this line up.
The son of Snippetson has been up for an age and is deep into his latest preparation.
Still, his form shows no signs of waning and the Peter and Paul Snowden stable is performing strongly.
Oxford Poet jumped as favourite in the Civic Stakes where he led them up before being collared in the straight.
The Kim Waugh-trained runner was seemingly building nicely into that run however couldn’t produce the necessary improvement third up.
He lines up against the same company a fortnight later and on better weight terms over those and unlike the Civic Stakes, goes around at an each way quote.
Tim Clark will have the flashy chestnut in front from an inside draw and if afforded cheap mid sectionals, the pair will take plenty of catching.
Chris Waller saddles up a pair of chances in Marenostro and Tales Of Grimm.
Marenostro failed to beat a runner home last start when dropping back from a mile to contest the Civic Stakes.
He is another who like Better Not Blue that will benefit from the somewhat softer surface underfoot and the rise to 1400m is also suitable.
The son of Duelled was a dual winner over this course and distance earlier this campaign however has lost his way somewhat through his past two starts.
Waller has applied the Blinkers to Marenostro which could switch him back on and the gelding is drawn to receive all of the favours in transit from barrier 1.
While a majority of the field possesses Civic Stakes form, Tales Of Grimm adds another element to the race.
The son of Distorted Humor returns to Sydney after a successful hit and run Brisbane mission where he claimed the Listed Spear Chief Quality (1500m) at Eagle Farm.
His presence injects a new form line into the event and although it doesn’t appear as strong as the Civic Stakes, it is at least a point of difference for the last start winner.